Clutch control mechanism



Aug. 2, 1938. F. KRITZ CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed March 5, 1954 INVENTOR; F drr r firz 52,

A TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 2, 1938 2,125,505

UNITED STATEEB PATENT OFFIQE CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Frank Kritz, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 5, 1934, Serial No. 714,010

1 Claim. 01. 192-33) This invention relates to clutch control mechaclutching means being so constructed and arnism, and is particularly, though not necessarily, ranged as to disengage the driven shaft from the adapted to control windshield wipers which dedriving shaft upon an abnormal resistance to rive power from a rotating element, whether that moving the driven shaft.

5 element be a usual part of an internal combus- The above being among the objects of the 5 tion engine or any other rotating element such, present invention, the same consists in certain for instance, as the shaft of an electric or other novel features of construction and combinations motor. of parts to be hereinafter described with refer- Principal objects include the provision of a once to the accompanying drawing, and then clutch control mechanism for windshield wiping claimed, having the above and other objects in 10 mechanisms or the like so constructed and arview. ranged as to employ a portion of the power being In the accompanying drawing which illustrates transmitted through it for the purpose of consuitable embodiments of the present invention trolling its operation; the provision of a control and in which like numerals refer to like parts head or unit including a servo mechanism for throughout the several different views, l5 controlling the application of power there- Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic, partially through; the provision of' a control head or unit broken, fragmentary, vertical sectional view for windshield wiper mechanism including a taken longitudinally through the center of a drive shaft and a servo mechanism driven by the motor vehicle and particularly that part thereof drive shaft and controllable to limit the disconincluding the engine and windshield and asso- 20 tinuan-ce of power transmission through the conciated parts, and illustrating a windshield wiper trol head or unit to a predetermined positionof mechanism constructed in accordance with the operation of the wiper blade driven thereby reteachings of the present invention cooperatively gardless of the time at which the servo mechaassociated with the windshield and deriving its nism is placed in a condition to limit the applicapower for operation from the engine. 25 tion of power therethrough; the provision of a Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of control head or unit including a rotatable shaft the power head or unit employed in the windand a worm and wheel constantly driven thereby shield wiper construction illustrated in Fig. l, and means cooperable with said worm in one part of the casing being broken away to disclose position only of rotation thereof for discontinucertain details of the construction within the ing the application of power through the shaft; casing, the mechanism being shown in operative and the provision of a control head or unit inposition. eluding a rotating shaft and gearing constantly Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 except that the driven thereby together with a manually operable control lever and the cover for the casing has element capable of being moved to a position of been removed to better disclose the parts con- 35 control head inoperativeness at any time during tained within the casing, and indicating the posithe operation of the gear mechanism but so oontion of the mechanism when in inoperative structed and arranged as to be actuated by an position.

element of the gear mechanism only when such Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the element has substantially reached a predeterline 44 of Fig. 3. 7 40 mined point in its rotatable path, together with Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the means cooperatively associated with the control line 55 of Fig. 3. element for terminating the flow of power The illustrative windshield wiper mechanism through the control head or unit; the provision shown in Fig. 1 includes two main units which of a control head or unit for windshield wiper for the sake of convenience I term heads and 45 mechanism including a control head or unit havwhich consist of an operating head by means of ing a driving and a driven shaft, gearing driven which the windshield wiper blade is caused to by the driven shaft and means operated by the oscillate or otherwise move in a desired path of gearing and subject to manual control for distravel and a control head suitably connected to connectingthe driving and driven shafts when the operating head and so constructed and ar- 50 one of the elementsof the gearing has reached ranged as to control the transmission of power substantially a predetermined point in its rotatfrom the source of power to the operating head. able path; and the provision of-a" control head or As a matter of illustration only, in the accomunit-including a driving and a driven shaft and panying drawing a preferred embodiment is clutching means for connecting-saidshafts, the shown in which the operating head is mounted 55 the axisofthe nipple 54.

in a suitable location adjacent the windshield of a motor vehicle so as to enable it to operate a windshield wiper blade across or over the windshield surface, and the mechanism been illustrated as deriving its power from a rotating part of the power plant of the vehicle upon which it is mounted, the particular part selected in the present case as a means of illustration comprising the shaft of the usual electric generator, and the control head has been shown being supported by the generator. It may be noted that it is preferable, although not necessary, that the device supplying the power to the windshield wiper mechanism be located outside of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle in order to eliminate as far as possible the sensible effect of the operating sounds thereof from the passenger compartment.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is indicated generally at 20 an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicie, the engine being provided with the usual electric generator 22 suitably driven from the crankshaft of the engine by means of a beit 24 in accordance with conventional practice. Over the engine 20 is positioned the usuai hood 2%, the rear edge of which rests upon the upper edge of the usual dash 28. Extending rearwardly from the dash 28 is the usual cowl 30, the upper rear edge of which is bent upwardly as at 32 and then rearwardiy as at 34 to provide a shelf against whic the usual sealing strip 35 positioned in the frame 38 of the windshield 4!] may contact to seal the space between the windshield 48 and the cowl. In the particular construction shown a Z-sectioned member 42 is secured to the underface of the portion 34 of the cowl 30 and extends transversely of the windshield opening and to the upper leg of the member 42 is suitably secured the usual instrument panel 44 which, of course, is located within the driving compartment of the vehicle.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown the windshield wiper mechanism includes an operating head mounted against the lower leg of the Z-sectioned member 42, its operating shaft projecting forwardly and upwardly through the portion 32 of the cowl and upon the projecting outer end of the shaft is suitably secured an operatin arm i8 of a windshield wiper blade 59 adapted to be oscillated back and forth across the face of the windshield 40. The particular construction of the operating arm 48 and wiper blade 50 is unimportant as far as the present invention is concerned and any conventional or known construction may be employed.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown the control head, indicated generally at 52, for the windshield wiping mechanism is shown mounted on the rear end of the generator 22. This control head, as indicated in Figs.2.and 3,

is provided with a projecting threaded. nipple 54 through which the driving shaft 55 projects and in which it has suitable bearing. In the.

present instance the nipple 54 is shown as threaded into the rear end of the casing for the generator 22 in concentric relation with respect to the operating shaft (not shown) thereof and the driving shaft 56 is adapted for suitable driving connection with the operating shaft of the gen erator in any'well known manner. A lock nut 58 received on the nipple 5 is provided for looking the control head 52 against inadvertent displacement with respect to the generator 22 about The control head 52 is provided with a control 'lever 60 which, when necessary, may be connected to a remote point of manual control such as the button 62 suitably mounted upon the instrument panel 46 and connected with the lever 66 by any suitable linear transmission device which may be, for instance, of the well known Bowden wire type.

Referring now to Figs. 2'to 5, inclusive, illustrating the details of construction of the control head 52, it will be noted that this includes a casing 66 having a cover 68 closing one side face thereof. The drive shaft 58 is positioned with its axis centrally located between opposite sides of the casing 66 and adjacent one edge thereof. The nipple 54, in which the shaft 56 has bearing, projects within the casing and internally thereof is provided with a shoulder it which is drawn against the inner face thereof by a lock nut 12 which thus serves to secure the nipple E i firmly in place. Immediately inwardly of the shoulder id the shaft 56 has secured thereto a collar member l4 having formed on its axially inner surface two ratchet teeth l6, and rotatably mounted upon the shaft 5% inwardly beyond the collar member i4 is a clutch sleeve 18 having ratchet teeth 86, complementary to the teeth 76, formed on that end thereof opposed to the collar member The shaft 55 terminates at a point approximately midway the length of the sieeve member 78, as indicated in Fig. 3 by dotted iine. I

In the end of the casing opposite to the shaft 56 in axial alignment therewith and secured in place by a nut 82 is a bushing 84 in which the driven shaft 86 is rotatably received. The shaft 86 projects through the bushing 84 into the casing and its inner end is received within and has bearing in the corresponding end of the clutch sleeve 78. Within the casing the shaft 86 is provided with a worm 88 fixed thereto together with a collar member 90 having diametrically opposed axially extending teeth or keys 92 formed on the inner end thereof and which keys slidably but non-rotatably interengage with a diametrically disposed slot 94 formed in the corresponding end of the sleeve member 18. The outer end of the shaft 86 has fixed thereto a flexible linear transmission member 96, which, as indicated in Fig. 2, may take the form of a plurality of telescoped close coiled helical springs wound in alternately opposite directions and it is through this member 955 that power is transmitted from the control member 52 to the operating head 46. Preferably, the member 96 is enclosed within a flexible tubular covering such as 98, of any suitable type, one end of which is fixed to the bushing 34 and the opposite end of which is fixed with respect to the control head 46 in a well known manner.

A block lilll is secured in the upper right hand corner of the casing 66 as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 by means of screws I02 or other suitable means. The block mu is centrally provided with an upstanding stud member I04 upon which a worm wheel H25 in constant mesh with the worm B8, is rotatably mounted. The worm wheel I06. is maintained in contact with the upper face of the block in!) by .means of a collar I08 formed on the stud I94. As indicated best in Fig. 5, the collar I98 terminates in spaced relation to the inner face of. cover 68 and the stud H14 projects upwardly therebeyond through the cover 68. The lower face of the block I!!!) is provided with a groove H0 extending in parallel relation with respect 't'o'the axes'of the shafts 56 and'86 and slidably guided for movement in the groove 0 is a plate member :2. As best illustratedin Figs. 2 and 3, the left hand end of the plate member I I2 projects beyond the left hand end of the block I00 and is there provided with an integral rpstanding member I I4: the planeof which is disposed in perpendicular relationship with. respect to the axes of the shafts 56' and 86. As illustratedin Figs. 2 and 3, the upper end of the member IE0 is extended into substantial. con.- tact with the upper wall of the casing 66 and the lower end thereof is bifurcated and is received in a peripheral groove IIS formed in the clutch sleeve I0. A spring H8 co-acting between the casing 66 and the member H4 constantly urges the members I I4 and H2 to the left as Viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and, through the engagement between the member II4 and the clutch sleeve I8, urges the clutch sleeve I8 into clutched relation with respect to the collar I4 through interengagemerit of the ratchet teeth I6 and 80, the sliding interengagement of the keys 92 with the clutch sleeve I0 maintaining the driving relation between the driven shaft 86 and the clutch sleeve I8.

A plate member I20 is relatively loosely received between the cover 68 and the upper end of the collar I08 of the stud I04, the plate I20 being provided with an L-shaped opening I22 therein through the enlarged foot portion of which the stud I04 freely projects. As best brought out in Figs. 2 and 3, the left hand end of the plate member I20 projects in overlapping relationship with respect to the member I I4. and at the point of overlap is provided with a neck portion I23 which is received in loosely interlocking relationship with respect to a notch I24 formed in the upper edge of. the member I I4. From this it will be noted that the plate member I20 and the member H4 are connected together for interrelated sliding movement.

As viewed in Fig. 3, the upper right hand edge of the plate member I20 is provided with an inwardly projecting lug I26, shown more clearly in Fig. i. which extends into substantially contacting relationship with respect to the adjacent face of the worm Wheel I06. The worm Wheel I06 is provided with an upstanding pin I28 which is adapted for engagement with the lug I26 in a manner which will hereinafter be more fully explained. The cover 08 is provided with a suitable opening through which the stud I04 pro,- jects and, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is also provided with an arcuate slot I30 therein having its center concentric with the axis of the stud I04. The control arm 60 is rotatably received upon the projecting end of the stud I04 exterior to the cover and is maintained thereon in substantial contact with the cover 68 by means of a washer I32 and nut I34. The hub portion of the control arm 60 is made relatively large so as to overlie the slot I30 and thus provide a shield for the same to prevent the entrance of. dust or other foreign matter through the slot I30 into the interior of the casing 66.

The arm 60 has a pin I36 fixed thereto and which pin projects through the slot I30 in the cover 03 and into the narrow part of the L- shaped opening E22 in the plate member I20, as indicated in Fig. 3. By moving the control arm Gil about the axis of the stud I04 the pin I36 in engaging the plate member I20 may cause the plate member 520 to pivot about its point of connection with the member H4 at the neck I22 so as to bring the lug I26 either out of the path of travel of the pin I28 on the worm wheel I06 or else into intersecting relation with respect to the path of travel of the pin I28. As will be apparent, when the control arm 60 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the pin I36 will have moved. upwardly. as viewed in that figure and cause the right hand end of the plate member I20 tobe moved upwardly carrying with it the lug I26 and moving the. lug. I26 out of. the path of travel of the pin I28. Likewise, it willbe noted that when. the control arm 60 is moved to the position indicated in Fig. 3 the pin I36 through engagement with the walls of the opening I22 will have caused the member. I20 to pivot about the. neck I22 and move the right hand end thereof downwardly so as to bring the lug I26 into intersecting relation with respect to the path of travel of the pin I28 of the Worm wheel I06.

The normal operative position of the mechanism is that indicated in Fig. 2 in which the control arm 60 is moved to position the lug I26 out of the. normal path of travel of the pin I28 and under such circumstances the spring II8 will have urged the member II4, together with the plate member I20, to the left as viewed in Figs. and 3 and the plate member II4 will have moved the clutch sleeve I8 to the left so as to bring its ratchet teeth 00 into driving relation with respect to the teeth IE on the collar I4. Under such circumstances, if the shaft 56 is rotating it will cause the sleeve member I8 to be rotated and, because of the driving connection between the sleeve member I8 and the collar member 90 by reason of the interengagement of the keys 92 and slot 94, the collar member 90, worm 80 and driven shaft 86 will be rotated equally with the driving shaft 56. When the worm 80 is thus rotated, because of its interengagement with the worm wheel I06, the worm wheel I06 will also be rotated carrying with it the pin I28.

When the control lever is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the pin I36 fixed thereto will have moved the plate member I20 to a position in which the lug I26 is outside of the normal path of movement of the pin I28 on the worm wheel I06 and consequently continued equal rotation of the shafts and 86 will occur. Should it now be desired to disconnect the driving and driven shafts 56 and 86, respectively, the control lever 60 is moved from the position indicated in Fig. 2 to the position indicated in Fig. 3 and which movement, as has previously been described, will cause the lug I26 to be moved into intersecting relation with respect to the path of travel of the pin I20. When this is done, regardless of the particular rotatable position of the pin I28 at the time of operation of the control arm 60, continued rotation of the worm wheel I06 will eventually bring the pin I28 into contact with the lug 26. When this occurs, due'to the fact that the worm wheel I06 is being driven under power from the shaft 56, the worm wheel I06 will continue to rotate and will force the lug I26 and plate member I20 to the right as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. The plate member I20 in moving to the right will, because of its engagement with the member II4, cause the member H4 and its connected plate member II2 to move with it to the right. Upon moving to the right the member I I4, because of its interengagement with the clutch sleeve I8, will cause the sleeve member I8 to likewise move in the same direction and, upon the necessary degree of rotation, the worm wheel I06 will cause the ratchet teeth I6 and 80 to separate from each other and thus disconnect the shaft 86 from the driving shaft 56.

It is to be particularly noted that the only effort on the part of the operator to place the control head in inoperative position is that required to move the control arm 60 which moves only the plate member I20 and the latter, being relatively free and loose, requires substantially no effort in its operation.v It is important to observe that upon operation of the control member 60 and corresponding movement of the plate member I20 the mechanism is so conditioned that upon a predetermined point in the rotatable position of the worm wheel I06 the source of power for the drive shaft 56 will itself provide the necessary power to actuate the mechanism to actually disconnect the driving shaft from the driven shaft. Thus a servo mechanism is provided which, regardless of the time of actuation of the control member, will be effective in operation only at a predetermined point in the rotation of the worm wheel I06 to mechanically relieve the driving connection between the driving and driven shafts.

When the mechanism is in inoperative position as indicated in Fig. 3 and it is desired to place it in operative position as indicated in Fig. 2 so that the driving and driven shafts 56 and 58, respectively, will be joined for equal rotation, all that is necessary is to move the control arm 60 from the position indicated in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 2, which movement will cause pivoting of the plate member I20 about its neck I 22 to disengage the lug I26 from the pin I28. As soon as this occurs the spring I I8 will force the plate I20 and the member II4, together with the clutch sleeve I8, to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and again place the clutch mechanism in engaged position. I

It will be appreciated that the mechanism immediately associated with the operating head 42 is so arranged that when the pinion I66 of the clutch control mechanism is in a stopping position, the windshield wiper blade 48 is in a position corresponding to a selected one of its limit positions at the side of the normal field of vision.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the driving faces of the ratchet teeth 16 and 80 are not in a plane parallel to the axes of the shafts which they connect, but instead are slightly inclined with respect thereto and in such a manner that the turning force transmitted through these teeth exerts an axial component tending to disengage the clutch. Under ordinary conditions of operation the force of the spring II 8 acting through the member H4 is sufficient to overcome the axial component of the force being transmitted between the shafts 56 and '86 tending to disengage the clutch, but the inclination of the driving faces of the ratchet teeth is so arranged that an unusual resistance to oscillation of the wiper blade 50, for instance,

will build up the force tending to separate the 7 elements of the ratchet clutch to a point sufficient to overcome the force of the spring I8 and actually cause the teeth I6 and 80 to separate and slip over one another. This construction provides a safety means whereby possibility of rupture of the mechanism is eliminated should the wiper blade become frozen to the windshield 40, in case the wiper blade 50 is manually held against movement during operation of the mechanism or forced to move when the mechanism is not operating or, if for any other reason something occurs to prevent normal movement of a part of the mechanism.

In accordance with the above explanation, it will be apparent that when the windshield wiping'mechanism here described is operating and it is desired to discontinue its operation all that is necessary is to vmove the button 62 on the instrument panel 24 to its inoperative position which will-move the control arm 60 on the control head 52 to its inoperative position and, upon continued movement of the mechanism, the pin I28 on the worm wheel I06 will be brought into contact with the lug I26 on the plate member I26 and through the member IM power derived from the driving means will cause the power shaft to be disconnected from the windshield wiping mechanism and this at a time that the windshield wiping mechanism including the wiper arm 48 is in a predetermined position of operation.

Upon disclosure of the teachings herein, those skilled in the art will readily perceive various changes and modifications that may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described while still maintaining the principles of construction and operation here disclosed and, accordingly, it is to be understood that formal changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate withthe appended claim. 6

I claim: c

In a mechanical power transmission system having a driving shaft, a driven shaft axially aligned therewith, and a clutch movable to connect and disconnect said shafts, the combination of a member directly driven in rotation by one of said shafts and having a laterally extending projection offset from the axis thereof, a plate positioned at one side of and in overlapping relation to the member, said plate being slidably guided for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the member and having a part operatively engaging the clutch, a shiftable plate positioned at the opposite side of and in overlapping relation to the member, for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the member, said shiftable plate having a projecting part thereon for cooperation with said projection and being operatively connected to said'first mentioned plate, and a control arm connected to said shiftable plate and actuable to pivot saidshiftable plate between a position in which said projecting part is in thepath of said projection and a position in which said projecting part is outside of thepath of said projection.

FRANK KRITZ; 

